It is well known to use equipment racks for mounting and supporting multiple equipment modules. For example, 19-inch racks are widely used in modern data centers, ISP facilities and corporate server rooms for mounting and supporting various equipment modules, including computing, data storage, network, telecommunication, audio, and/or video equipment. Such equipment modules generally have power supply units (PSUs) to power the modules and/or the system. Such PSUs generally have a conventional power cord that plugs into a receptacle on the back side of the PSU. Unfortunately, such power cords may be inadvertently unplugged from the PSU causing an unexpected power off that could be serious for the modules and/or the system, including irreparable or irretrievable data loss.
For example, such power cords may be inadvertently unplugged as an equipment module is pulled out from an equipment rack for service simply because the power cord is too short, and/or because the power cord is caught by another object, such as an adjacent module or cable management arm. Also, such power cords may be inadvertently unplugged while service personal works on the equipment module while it is mounted in an equipment rack or is simply resting on a desk or workbench, and the service personal accidently pulls the power cord from the module and disconnects the power to the module. Similarly, a user may simply inadvertently pull the power cord from the module while handling the module and/or power cord thus disconnecting power to the module.
Some existing retainers include wire retainers that are configured to hold a power cord plug at one end and clip to holes on a chassis at the other end. An example of such a conventional wire retainer is described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,777,655 to Blanton. Since the wire retainer is fixed in length, it works well for a specific overmold configuration of a power cord plug. It also requires that a chassis be provided with specifically configured holes in the chassis to properly position and hold the wire retainer.
Other existing retainers include molded plastic retainers that engage with a handle of a chassis. An example of such a conventional plastic retainer is described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,847,085 to Chen. Similar to the wire retainer described above, such plastic retainers are generally configured to work for a specific overmold configuration of a power cord plug and a specific chassis configuration.
In light of the foregoing, it would be beneficial to have a power cord retainer that overcomes the above and other disadvantages of currently available cord retainers such as wire retainers and plastic retainers.